<a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Visalia-New-Year-Scholarships.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-1133" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Visalia-New-Year-Scholarships-290x290.jpg" alt="Visalia New Year Scholarships" width="290" height="290" /></a>Fourteen students at SJVC’s <a title="SJVC Visalia" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/visalia/" target="_blank">Visalia</a> campus were proud recipients of <i>2013 New Year, New Career </i>scholarships. “I had to quit my job to be able to attend SJVC full-time and I was concerned about making ends meet,” says Christa Cunningham, <a title="Respiratory Therapy program" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/respiratory-therapy/" target="_blank">Respiratory Therapy</a> student and scholarship recipient. “This scholarship was very helpful to me, because it allows me to focus completely on getting my degree and doing well in my program, without the added worry of finances."

The scholarship program was introduced in July, 2012 as a way to celebrate 2013’s first start date and benefit some of those students beginning their new career path. Over subsequent months, Visalia Admissions Teams earned scholarship funds with each new student enrolled who was scheduled to start on January 28<sup>th</sup>. All of those students were encouraged to apply for a scholarship, which ranged in value from $500 to $1,500.

The <i>2013 New Year, New Career </i>scholarship program generated a lot of excitement among Admissions Teams, as they built the award fund to $8,400.

A selection committee, comprised of SJVC staff and faculty, chose scholarship award recipients based primarily upon student responses to two essay questions on their applications. Student responses helped the committee to better understand the goals, obstacles and determination those students held for their successful college experience.

Scholarship recipients received a tuition credit in their first academic year at SJVC for the award amount. Those 14-students are:

Prisilla Garcia-Ramos, Health Care Administration
Cynthia Guerrero, Medical Assisting
Jonathan Hernandez, Industrial Technology
Christina Patala, Medical Assisting
Kristine Ramirez, Medical Assisting
Noelia Ramirez, Medical Assisting
Amanda Robles, Business Administration
Ashley Washington, Medical Assisting
Vanessa Vasquez, Medical Assisting
Sara Brittsan, Respiratory Therapy
Jamie Cornstock, Respiratory Therapy
Edgar Gonzalez, Medical Assisting
Alyssa Stephens, Medical Assisting
Christa Cunningham, Respiratory Therapy